The woman in charge of national security just became the latest victim of Washington, D.C.'s crime surge. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had her bag stolen while dining at a restaurant in the nation’s capital—an incident that reads like a parody but is all too real.
According to officials, Noem’s stolen bag contained $3,000 in cash, her U.S. passport, her official DHS badge, and other sensitive personal items. The theft, captured on security footage, shows a white male suspect wearing a surgical mask slipping away with the bag while Noem dined with family over Easter weekend.
The U.S. Secret Service has now launched a full investigation into the theft, focusing on whether any of Noem’s financial instruments or federal credentials have been used since the incident. Though she assumed the role of Homeland Security Secretary in January, this brazen robbery has raised serious concerns about how D.C. protects—or fails to protect—its top officials.
Let’s put this into perspective: the person tasked with securing the southern border, leading the fight against cybercrime, and protecting our homeland had her badge, cash, and passport snatched while grabbing dinner. And this wasn’t a back-alley mugging—it happened in a public restaurant in our nation's capital.
If D.C. can’t keep a Homeland Security Secretary safe, what does that say about the rest of us? Maybe it’s time the folks running the show started cleaning up their own streets before telling the rest of America how to live.